maui wildfires

These houses survived one of the country's worst wildfires. Here’s how

7:00am September 17, 2024

The wildfire in Lahaina, Maui, spread through extreme winds and intense heat. Still, a handful of houses were untouched thanks to the owners preparing the buildings and yards.

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Lahaina’s deadly wildfire could be a chance to rebuild safer. But will it?

5:25am August 08, 2024

by Lauren Sommer

After 102 people died in wildfires one year ago, Maui’s officials have committed to creating new evacuation routes. But even though the buildings are gone, remaking the map is a harder task.

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A year after Maui’s deadly fires, the hills are still filled with flammable grass

5:00am August 07, 2024

by Lauren Sommer

After extreme fires last year that claimed 102 lives, Maui is trying to tackle the invasive grasses that pose a big wildfire risk. That could mean restoring the land to what it once was.

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National

Parties in lawsuits seeking damages for Maui fires reach $4B global settlement

11:44pm August 02, 2024

by The Associated Press

The parties in lawsuits seeking damages for last year's Maui wildfires have reached a $4 billion global settlement, a court filing said Friday.

Chef Jojo Vasquez in the open kitchen of FOND – a Neighborhood Eatery, in west Maui.

National

A Maui chef's lifeline: his restaurant as the island recovers from Lahaina wildfires

5:14pm March 18, 2024

Thousands remain displaced after last year's deadly wildfire on west Maui. Among those who lost almost everything was a chef and his family. But they're determined to keep their restaurant running.

Mikey Burke's home was destroyed during the Lahaina fire. She's joined a new effort to create a community land trust to buy properties and keep them in the community.

After the fires, a Maui community tries a novel approach to keep homes in local hands

3:13pm March 14, 2024

by Lauren Sommer

As burned properties come up for sale in Lahaina, many worry outside developers will scoop them up. Some are turning to a tool that's helped other towns after a disaster: a community land trust.

Arica Lynn Souza and her children Ayla, 3, left, and Silas, 4, on the porch of the family home where they are staying temporarily after losing their Lahaina townhome in the wildfires.

National

Maui fire survivors struggle to find long-term housing, half a year after the blazes

5:29pm February 19, 2024

Thousands of people are still displaced and living in limbo six months after the wildfires on Maui. The disaster has deepened a housing crisis and is taking a toll on fire survivors.

FILE - The Lahainaluna High School football team hold hands to thank the fans after a game on Oct. 21, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. Captains of the team whose town was destroyed by a deadly wildfire attended to Super Bowl in Las Vegas as guests of the NFL.

High school football players, survivors of Maui wildfires, are honored at Super Bowl

7:37pm February 11, 2024

by Emma Bowman

Four players and three coaches from Lahainaluna High School met pro NFL stars on the turf to serve as honorary captains during the pre-game coin toss.

Shelly Romo spent hours in the rubble to find her wedding ring in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires back in August. After retrieving it and getting it restored, Romo said she never takes her ring off.

Maui wildfires ruined personal treasures. A local jeweler is repairing items for free

12:41pm December 30, 2023

by Juliana Kim

The August wildfires on the Hawaiian island erased troves of irreplaceable items — photographs, urns and mementos. One local jewelry store has been trying to help recover what the fires destroyed.

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden view damage caused by wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii on August 21, 2023. The president is expected to travel to see hurricane damage Florida on Saturday.

Politics & Government

After recent disasters, the White House says FEMA needs more money

10:06am September 01, 2023

by Tamara Keith

The Federal Emergency Management Agency needs $16 billion in emergency funding, the White House says. That's up $4 billion from a request it made last month, due to recent disasters.